TEMPLE, Texas — The Wildcutz Barber School in Temple is taking heat after offering the promise of a new career path, and allegedly not delivering. Several people told 6 News they paid an enrollment deposit, but the school never opened.
In May 2021, Damon Cross and veteran barber shop owner Stephon Taylor filed an LLC to create their business with a physical storefront in Temple.
In March 2023, the company forfeited existence, failing to file its franchise tax return or pay the tax due, meaning the company is currently inactive and dissolved.
The physical location on South 25th Street now sits vacant with an expired building permit.
Multiple people were allegedly told the school would open in 2022, but that did not happen.
One man who wished to stay anonymous said he made a deposit in June of 2021. He said he has contacted the barber school many times and says the line just rings.
"I guess they blocked my number," he said.
Olivia Reyna's nephew made a $500 deposit and was reportedly given a start date. The date came around, and Reyna says no one called to tell him what time to show up for the first day of class.
"I can't even imagine how many other people lost deposits that were paid to this school and individual," Reyna said. "I was told the contract my nephew signed states deposits are non-refundable, but it's not the enrollee's fault that the school was never completed in the first place. I think the owner should return everyone's money."
Shaqunna Austin's son also paid a deposit. According to Austin, they never gave him a start date, so he went to another barber school.
"The other barber shop in Temple did give my son a $500 scholarship since the other company scammed him," Austin said. "I thought was nice of them. That company needs to be put on blast."
Multiple other aspiring barbers are out hundreds of dollars, and they aren't the only ones.
Maria Perez claims her husband and others were hired to do electrical work for the building. However, they never got paid.
"The barber shop still owes him $10,000," Perez said. "We actually had to take out a loan... it's currently impacting our family economically. We have three kids. It's not easy. The thing that is frustrating for us is not having communication with us, not answering calls and then we see that we're not the only ones that haven't gotten calls from him, like did he scam us or what's going on?"
One of the partners in the business, Stephon Taylor, addressed the claims, saying this is not a scam, just a failure of communication, and those who have been affected will be refunded in some form.
"We have a new location now because of permit issues that were out of our control, between contractors abandoning us in the middle of the mission and price hikes from inflation," said Taylor. "The school name will be reinstated the same so the public will know this has not been a scam, just unfortunate happenstances and a failure in communication. Now that I’m aware of all that’s going on I give my deepest apologies and I hope to be given a chance to restore their confidence in us. Those that are affected by our delay in construction will be refunded or they will receive totally free barber school education at our facility this fall!"